National Basketball Association
North Carolina 78, East Tennessee St. 55
When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, December 8, 2012
Where: Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Officials:
# Garry Maxwell, # Brian Shey, # Alan Spainhour
Attendance:
17307
By SportsDirect Inc.
No. 16 North Carolina 78, East Tennessee State 55: Leslie McDonald led a balanced offense with 14 points as the Tar Heels took a big early lead and cruised past the visiting Buccaneers.
Freshman Brice Johnson chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Reggie Bullock added 10 points for North Carolina (7-2), which had 30 assists on 31 field goals. The Tar Heels held East Tennessee to 12 points in the opening 20 minutes, the fewest for a half ever at the Dean Smith Center.
Hunter Harris scored the first two points of the game for East Tennessee State (2-5) before the Tar Heels ran off the next 15. Bullock had the first seven in the run and North Carolina kept going to open up a 34-4 lead as the Buccaneers missed 17 of their first 19 shots.
Johnson and McDonald each had eight points in the first half as the Tar Heels settled for a 42-12 lead at the break. North Carolina forced 13 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes and the Buccaneers, who finished with a season low in points for a half, were 5-of-26 from the field.
Rashawn Rembert led the way with 18 points -- all in the second half -- for East Tennessee State. Leading scorer Lester Wilson registered 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Harris had 11 points for the Buccaneers.
GAME NOTEBOOK: East Tennessee State was without freshman PG Petey McClain for the second straight game due to an ankle injury. McClain is averaging 3.6 assists. … Tar Heels freshman PG Marcus Paige returned after missing one game with a shoulder injury, contributing three points and seven assists. … North Carolina has won all six meetings with the Buccaneers.
Top Game Performances
| East Tennessee St. |
|
North Carolina |
|
Rashawn Rembert 18 |
Scoring |
Leslie McDonald 14 |
|
Rashawn Rembert 3 |
Assists |
Marcus Paige 7 |
|
Lester Wilson 11 |
Rebounds |
Brice Johnson 8 |
|
John Walton 4 |
Free Throws Made |
Jackson Simmons 2 |
|
Rashawn Rembert 3 |
Steals |
P.J. Hairston 2 |
|
Hunter Harris 1 |
Blocks |
P.J. Hairston 1 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
| East Tennessee St.
|
55 |
33.9 |
7-24 |
6-12 |
8 |
37 |
3 |
9 |
22 |
| North Carolina
|
78 |
42.5 |
11-31 |
5-7 |
30 |
40 |
3 |
13 |
14 |
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